Santa Barbara Triathlon - Long Course - Triathlon


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Santa Barbara, California
United States
Santa Barbara Triathlon
75F / 24C
Overcast
Total Time = 4h 46m 39s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 40/48
Pre-race routine:

quick rinse to wake up, eat some bananas, orange, small piece of banana nut bread.
Had everything packed the night before. No parking near event, cycled in 1/2 mile to transition. Setup transition, talked shop with the guys, got prepped with wetsuit.
Event warmup:

Already cycled to the event, some light stretching, jog in place, pre-race swim session.
Swim
  • 36m 37s
  • 1760 yards
  • 02m 05s / 100 yards
Comments:

The start was crowded, took it easy and held back otherwise I would have had to start swimming over people. It was my longest distance tri, so I wanted to go out a little easy. Overall very happy with the swim, being able to breath on the left side as well as the right really helped on the return leg as I was able to not only sight to the shoreline but enjoy the view as well.
What would you do differently?:

Perhaps been alittle more aggressive in the start, I could have easily hung with the front or middle of the pack, choosing the back hung my up in slow traffic. Oh ya, due to sharp rocks on the beach I purchased a set of Blue Seventy Booties, they feel like they filled with water and may or may not have slowed me down. But they where great after running through the sand I got to transition and pulled them off and my feet where as clean as a whistle.
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

This is my last race with rat traps on the bike. I had to both slip on socks on wet feet, and install my running shoes. I was honestly abit winded from the swim so I also used this as abit of recovery time.
What would you do differently?:

Next race I will have full clip in pedals with shoes attached to the bike so that would make things faster. Time and practice.
Bike
  • 1h 59m 2s
  • 34 miles
  • 17.14 mile/hr
Comments:

A quite challenging route, some good hills that worked you hard and long. Some good fast downhills. Good traffic control and volunteers and police. I probably pushed abit hard, but I really enjoyed the course, even that last hill that had me cursing out loud.
What would you do differently?:

I would highly recommend a wider 25mm comfort tire to take some of the harshness out of the rough roads.
Transition 2
  • 02m 1s
Comments:

The bike was long and harsh so I had difficulty running off the bike, but either way got a hussle in and got it done. Since riding with running shoes, no shoe change needed, drop the helmet, grab the bib and go. I took off my cycling gloves on the run out of transition.
Run
  • 2h 03m 43s
  • 10 miles
  • 12m 22s  min/mile
Comments:

I suffered on the run and went out slow and was unable to pick up the pace, I had one pace and that is all I had. Started to side cramp and was able to eat a cliff bar over the period of the first 5 miles, one very small bite at a time. Tried to pick up the pace a couple times but knew I would cook myself fast if I kept it up so just stayed at a steady pace.
What would you do differently?:

Not sure if I 'bonked' from not enough to eat pre-race, or if I just over biked the bike course. Either way, I met my time predictions and I got it done. It was my longest Tri yet so I am happy to have had a very acceptable performance.
Post race
Warm down:

OMG cooked legs! lol
So happy they had a full meal lunch and vegetarian friendly. I ate and watched the awards ceremonies. walked back to transition and packed up and bike my wasted butt 1/2 mile home for a HOT shower and a nap!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Lack of structured training, perhaps not enough pre-race nutrition, pacing on the bike a little to hard?

Event comments:

I always love Santa Barbara and this race event is definitely a return to race. The swim is perfect, nice and cool with very little current or waves. The bike course is very scenic yet challenging. The run, who would not love to run right along the scenic shoreline of Santa Barbara.

Well organized with both volunteer and police presence. Lots of other distance options as well. Loved it, will gladly return next year.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2016-09-08 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:37 | 1760 yards | 02m 05s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/48
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Suit: Blue Seventy Sprint
Course: Out to first buoy, right turn towards the pier, u-turn and head back to start, left turn to the finish chute
Start type: Run Plus:
Water temp: 65F / 18C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average Drafting:
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
01:59:02 | 34 miles | 17.14 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/48
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: Hilly and quite rough in some places. One downhill segment was very rough. Near the end their was a never ending hill that took every last bit of life out of me. The course ran through lots of agriculture and rural roads with some ocean views. Over all it was a very challenging course but not completely out of control.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:01
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Average
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
02:03:43 | 10 miles | 12m 22s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/48
Overall: 0/
Performance: Below average
Course: Nice long run along the shorline with beautiful ocean vistas. Then its up into a neighborhood for several miles, and I do mean up. The whole 5 out is a slight uphill climb and then downhill at the turn around.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4